The Best Hotels and B&Bs to Book Near Kings Dominion, Virginia

If you’ve stayed in one before, you’ll know what you’re getting from a Hampton Inn: contemporary, crisply air-conditioned rooms in a comfortable, well-equipped building. The location is always going to be right in the bullseye of where you want to be – in this case that’s the center of leafy college town Ashland, surrounded by shops and restaurants. You’re also just a 10-minute drive from the park, meaning you can be first in line for the pick of the rides.

Ever stayed in a deconstructed 19th-century barn? There’s a first time for everything. When the owners took over this patch of Virginia farmland in the 1950s, they had no use for its historic outhouse – so they tore it down and used the materials to build this beautiful mansion inspired by George Washington’s military HQ. And in case you’re wondering: yes, the rest of this B&B is every bit as charming as its origin.

Old-school on the outside, contemporary-cool on the inside. That’s how we’d sum up this Glen Allen hotel, a 20-minute drive south from Kings Dominion. All colonnades and chimney stacks, this stately stay will make you feel like land-owning gentry, especially when taking your evening stroll around its 20 acres (8ha) of landscaped gardens, or sipping an Old Fashioned in its Tavern bar and restaurant. The rooms, with their geometric carpets, metallic wallpaper and slimline furniture, keep things firmly in the 21st century.

Nothing says weekend getaway like the smell of freshly cut grass, the sound of birdsong and the warm glow of a fireplace in the evening. You’ll get all that and more at Shady Acres, a quaint home-from-home in the peaceful countryside of Hanover. Whether you want to kick back and relax in a hammock, enjoy evening drinks around the fire pit, or get the lowdown on where to go in the nearby village, owners Gail and Ralph will go out of their way to help.

If you’re looking for somewhere simple, affordable and close to Kings Dominion, you won’t get much better than the Sleep Inn & Suites Ashland. Frills are few and far between, but rooms are tastefully decorated in woods and neutral tones, and come equipped with large flat-screen TVs and full-sized fridges. There’s also a fitness center, with cross trainers and an indoor pool. Not that you’ll be spending much time inside, given how much there is to do around these parts!

The Henry Clay Inn is named after Hanover County’s own “Great Compromiser”, and the traditional Georgian-style lodging is a celebrated landmark in historic Ashland. Cozy and homely, the 13 guest rooms are are joined by plenty of communal areas to soak up the atmosphere with your pet, who you’re welcome to bring. Enjoy a home-cooked breakfast in the drawing room while looking out over the spacious porch, before hitting downtown Richmond to explore.